What is it that will make Main Street more vibrant? What is it that will bring more people to town and drive more economic development?
According to Stu Goodner, a three-year Boulder resident who owns the Panther Pit and purchased more real estate on Main Street in May – including the Sweet Spot building and Guilio Disposal’s old office – the answer lies in electric charging stations. Charging stations, he said, will bring people to Boulder from off the interstate, and most importantly, will keep them here a while.
“When people are charging their cars, they are essentially trapped in that location for a certain amount of time,” he said. “They’ve got to find something to do for an hour while they are topping off.”
Electric cars are becoming more and more prevalent around the nation, and at this time, the nearest charging stations are in Helena and Butte. The average driving range for electric cars is between 250 to 500 miles, which doesn’t get drivers too far in Montana before charging is necessary. Goodner said he believes Boulder has a grand opportunity here to provide a service and make a good impression on tourists.
Where will these charging stations go? It is Goodner envisions installing these stations right behind the Sweet Spot, which Kayla Holman leases from the Goodners. The Goodners will beautify the area by adding a gazebo and a dog run. Holman said she is thrilled with what the Goodners are planning.
Goodner said he intends to visit with the zoning committee about making this vision come to fruition. He plans on sending in the zoning application before the end of the month.
“It’s a nice area, and I’d love to clean it up and one day see people sitting down under a covered gazebo, enjoying a cup of coffee,” Goodner said.
This is only the beginning. Goodner, the CFO for a group of companies related to wildfire mitigation headquartered in Bozeman and his wife Lisa, who runs an insurance agency out of Austin, Texas, have much faith in Boulder and want to see it thrive. Their enthusiasm and energy for big projects downtown appears to be contagious, as Mechele Anderson of ReImagining Boulder has signed on to help with exterior architectural renovations.
“We hope to really add curb appeal to the project by partnering with ReImagine Boulder,” Goodner said.
Main Street, Goodner said, is the life blood of a community, and should be a magnet for those traveling through. Boulder already has some great establishments, he said, such as Barry Wareham’s Mountain Good, Bruce Giulio’s Maddog Pizza and Rusty Giulio’s Windsor Bar – famous for its steaks. But, especially with Wareham now closing on Saturdays, Goodner said Boulder is badly in need of another restaurant.
Goodner has an idea: why not move the Panther Pit and turn that prime location into a Mexican restaurant? The Goodners are already working to set this in motion, talking with people in Butte, Helena and Bozeman who specialize in Mexican cuisine.
“Say there’s someone who runs a food truck and is looking for a base of operations?” Goodner said. “This would be a great starter restaurant for somebody that really wants their first place on Main Street.”
In addition to the Mexican restaurant, Goodner also would like to see the former Giulio disposal office and his current office turned into an antique shop. He even has a name for it: Antiques on Main.
“It’d be similar to the Gift Box, but we won’t be charging for tables,” Goodner said. “We are just going to charge commission.” This endeavor will include a flower shop by local Deb Oakley.
This is just part of the short-term plan, Goodner said. The long-term three to five year plan, he said, which of course has to be approved and zoned, would be to demolish the 77-year-old Panther Pit building and construct an 8,450 square-foot building with a red brick facade for both commercial and residential use (up to five apartments on the second floor).
Big plans are coming, Goodner said. There will be some changes, and they will be coming soon. This may include a new location for Jason Warren’s welding operation in the garage next to the Sweet Spot, but where that might be is undetermined.
The Goodners consider themselves “community investors.” They see the need and they invest in it. That’s what they’re doing here in Boulder.
“We want to make this a mecca, and we want to give people a reason to go downtown,” Goodner said. “We also want to find more ways for people here locally to make some income. Why go to Helena and work at Walmart if you could work a couple shifts a week at the antique store or restaurant?”
At this time everything is very preliminary, and Goodner is still trying to find ways to make it all happen. Most importantly, Goodner said he’d like to find a new home for the Panther Pit and would love input from the community on a new location. It’s his preference for it to stay close to Jefferson High, as it’s largely an activity center for the youth. However, Goodner said he’d also like to see the Panther Pit used for other purposes, be it community meetings, baby showers and other events.
“We’re not going to abandon the Panther Pit. The Pit serves between 20-25 teenagers, offering them free lunch every day,” he said. “We are committed to the mission and the youth of Jefferson County.”
